Lantana plant named ‘Balandpawn’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Lantana  plant named ‘Balandpawn’, characterized by its flowers ranging from yellow-colored when first open to pink-colored when fully mature, dark green-colored foliage, and upright and mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Lantana camara.

Variety denomination: ‘Balandpawn’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lantana plant botanically known as Lantana camara and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balandpawn’.

The new cultivar was developed by the inventor in a controlled breeding program during April 1999, at Arroyo Grande, Calif. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Lantana cultivars with a well-branched, compact habit, continuous flowering and dark green-colored foliage.

The new cultivar was the product of the self-pollination of the commercially available Lantana cultivar ‘Good Sonne’ (not patented), characterized by its gold-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and compact upright growth habit. ‘Balandpawn’ was selected in May 2000 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination and was initially designated ‘59-2’.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings taken since May 2000 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type, with all the characteristics as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance in genotype.

It was repeatedly found that the cultivar of the present invention:

-   -   1. Exhibits flowers ranging in color from pale yellow when first         open to light pink at full maturity.     -   2. Forms dark green-colored foliage, and     -   3. Exhibits an upright and mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent cultivar primarily in flower color, foliage size, and growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar can be compared to plants of the Lantana cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’ (unpatented). However, in side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of the         cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’, and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are more floriferous than plants         of the cultivar ‘Pink Caprice’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balandpawn’. The plants were grown for 10 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balandpawn’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of three inflorescences of ‘Balandpawn’ showing flowers ranging in color from yellow when first open to pink at full maturity.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 1995 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined on Jul. 21, 2003. The readings were taken between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. under natural day light conditions. The plants were produced from terminal stem cuttings taken from stock plants and were grown in a double polycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 10 weeks while utilizing a soilless growth medium in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 75°-85° F. (24°-29° C.) during the day and approximately 62°-68° F. (17°-20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained at 4,000-10,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Lantana camara cultivar ‘Balandpawn’. -   Parentage: Self-pollination of the Lantana cultivar ‘Gold Sonne’     (not patented). -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cutting.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 11 days.         -   Time to develop roots.—Approximately 4 weeks.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit of growth.—Vigorous. Forms lateral branches at every             node. Pinching enhances basal branching. A mature plant, 10             weeks after the planting of a rooted cutting, measures             approximately 26.8 cm in height from soil level to top of             plant plane and approximately 39 cm in diameter (area of             spread) with 4.2 main branches.         -   Form.—Upright, mounded and spreading.         -   Branch.—Shape: Quadrilateral. Strength: Strong. Length:             Approximately 23.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3 mm.             Texture: Moderately pubescent with short stiff hairs. Color             of young supple branch: 144A. Color of mature woody branch:             N199A. Internode length at middle of stem is approximately             5.3 cm.         -   Foliage.—Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Orientation to             stem: 90° angle. Fragrance: Faint, spicy. Shape: Ovate.             Margin: Crenate. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Texture of             upper surface: Moderately pubescent. Texture of lower             surface: Densely covered with short, stiff hairs. Leaf             length: Approximately 7.6 cm. Leaf width: Approximately             4.6 cm. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color of upper surface of             mature foliage: Closest to 139A with veins of 145C. Color of             lower surface of mature foliage: 147B with veins of 145C.             Petiole length: Approximately 1 cm. Petiole diameter:             Approximately 2 mm. Petiole texture: Upper surface:             Moderately covered with short, stiff hairs. Lower surface:             Dense stiff hairs with moderate amount of glandular             pubescence. Petiole color of both surfaces: Lighter than             147C. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year round in greenhouse             environment and spring through autumn in outdoor garden. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Type.—Corymb.         -   Shape.—Spherical.         -   Size.—Depth (height): Approximately 2 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.9 cm. Number of florets per inflorescence:             Approximately 37 fully open flowers at any one time.         -   Bract.—Each flower is subtended by a single bract. Bract:             Shape: Lanceolate. Length: Approximately 6 mm. Width:             Approximately 1 mm. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture:             Lower surface is densely pubescent, upper surface is             slightly pubescent with short hairs. Color of both surfaces:             143B at base, 137C at apex.         -   Peduncle.—Shape: Quadrilateral. Length: Approximately             8.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1 mm. Aspect: At acute angle             to branch. Texture: Pubescent with short stiff hairs. Color:             144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Shape.—Salverform.         -   Fragrance.—Light, sweet.         -   Aspect.—Concave.         -   Lastingness of bloom.—Approximately 8 days from first color             on outer buds to dropping of last flower.         -   Bud.—Shape: Roughly spherical. Length: Approximately 3 mm.             Width: Approximately 3 mm. Color: 15A.         -   Corolla size.—Diameter: Approximately 1.1 cm.         -   Petals.—Five, non imbricate, non-symmetrical, fused at base             forming corolla tube. Petal shape: Obovate. Petal apex:             Obtuse. Petal margin: Entire, slightly ruffled. Petal             texture: Moderate pubescence at base only. Upper petal             length from throat: Approximately 3.6 mm. Upper petal width:             Approximately 4 mm. Lateral petal length from throat:             Approximately 3.6 mm. Lateral petal width: Approximately             5 mm. Lower petal length from throat: Approximately 3.6 mm.             Lower petal width: Approximately 6.3 mm. Petal color when             first open: Upper surface: 155B with 17C around throat             opening. Lower surface: 75C. Petal color when fully open:             Upper surface: 75C at margin, 23A around throat opening.             Lower surface: 75C. Petal color when fully mature: N74D with             N74B around throat opening. Lower surface: 75C.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.2 cm. Diameter at tube             opening: Approximately 1.5 mm. Diameter at base:             Approximately 1 mm. Texture of outer surface of tube:             Densely covered with short hairs. Texture of inner surface:             Glabrous except for hairs around opening. Color of both             inner and outer surface: First open: Ranging from 10C at             distal end to 15D at proximal end. Fully open: Ranging from             155D at distal end to 65D at proximal end.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 2 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 1 mm. Apex: Obtuse. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: 145C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Four per flower, adnate to the             corolla tube. Filament length of free portion: Approximately             2 mm. Filament color: 155D. Anther shape: 2 lobed,             lanceolate. Anther length: 1 mm. Anther color: Closest to             199C. Amount of pollen: None observed. Pistil quantity: One             per flower. Pistil length: 4 mm. Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma             length: 1 mm. Stigma color is N144A. Style length:             Approximately 2 mm. Style color: 145C. Ovary length: 1 mm.             Ovary color: N144B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens or pests common     to Lantana has not been observed. -   Hardiness zone: ‘Balandpawn’ is hardy in zones nine (9) and above. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lantana camara plant named ‘Balandpawn’ substantially, as herein shown and described, which:
 1. Exhibits flowers ranging from yellow-colored when first open to pink-colored when fully mature,
 2. Forms dark green-colored foliage, and
 3. Exhibits an upright and mounded growth habit. 